Rifle man killed in head-on crash on Interestate 70 near Eagle

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EAGLE COUNTY — A head-on crash on Interstate 70 has left one man dead and another seriously injured.

At about 3:15 a.m., a 1998 Dodge van was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-70 near milepost 150 when it struck a tractor-trailer traveling westbound, according to the State Patrol. The driver of the van, a 44-year-old Rifle man, was pronounced dead on scene.

The driver of the semi, a 50-year-old Illinois man, was transported to Vail Valley Medical Center with serious injuries that are not considered life-threatening. Their names are being held pending notification of their families.

Collision being investigated

The crash is still being investigated. The weather was clear and the roads were dry at the time of the crash.

I-70 westbound remained closed at the crash location for several hours. Traffic was diverted onto U.S. Highway 6 at Wolcott.

The Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, the Eagle River Fire Protection District and Eagle County Health Service District responded to the scene along with the Colorado State Patrol. Big Steve’s Towing recovered the vehicles.